Posting a property ad between private individuals is now accessible to any homeowner. But between choosing the right website, complying with mandatory information, and reaching the right buyers, there are a few points worth knowing before getting started.

What is it to post an ad between individuals?

Posting a property ad privately means publishing your property for sale directly on an online portal, without going through a real estate agency. You are the one who created the ad—you manage the contacts, viewings, and negotiations. No commission is taken from the sale price.

This approach represents approximately 30% of real estate transactions in France. It is legally regulated and subject to the same obligations as professional advertisements — legal notices, mandatory energy performance certificate (DPE), clearly displayed price.

What your advertisement must contain

Whether published by an individual or a professional, a real estate advertisement must comply with a specific legal framework from the moment it is put online:

  • The selling price is clearly displayed
  • The living area (Carrez law area if in a co-ownership)
  • The number of main rooms
  • The energy performance certificate (DPE) and the greenhouse gas emissions (GES) rating are mandatory, even for private individuals
  • The location — common at least
  • The type of property

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be carried out by a certified professional before any publication. This is a legal obligation without exception.

Steps to post your ad

  1. Price your property correctly.Before listing, set a price that reflects the market. An overpriced property generates few inquiries in the first few weeks—the most crucial ones.
  2. Prepare your Energy Performance Certificate(EPC), diagnostic reports (depending on the property's age), title deed, and property tax statements. Having these documents ready reassures buyers and speeds up the transaction.
  3. Take high-quality photos.Well-framed, bright photos in a tidy interior. This is the first deciding factor for a buyer searching online.
  4. Write a precise descriptionhighlighting the property's strengths, surroundings, access, and any work that has been done. Be honest—a buyer who is well-informed from the moment they see the listing is a buyer who will visit with intention.
  5. Choosing the right distribution site(see below) — this is the step that determines the quality of your contacts.

On which website should you post your ad?

There is no one-size-fits-all website — there is the website best suited to your property. For standard properties up to €400,000, major generalist platforms (PAP.fr, LeBonCoin, ParuVendu) offer a wide audience at a limited cost.

Above €600,000, the buyer profile changes dramatically. They don't search on the same platforms and their criteria are different. Listing your property on a general portal risks getting lost among thousands of properties that have nothing to do with yours—and missing out on buyers who are specifically looking for what you have to offer.

For this type of property, Propriétés De Charme welcomes private owners wishing to list their property without an agency, starting from €600,000. Unlike general portals, the listing is written and optimized by the portal's team—not by the owner—and indexed on Google to a qualified audience in France and internationally.

Should I submit the ad myself or have someone write it for me?

It's a question few homeowners ask themselves—yet it's crucial. Most online portals leave you to handle the writing yourself. You write your listing, choose your photos, manage everything. The result is often generic—a standard description that doesn't highlight what makes your property unique.

At Propriétés De Charme, it's the opposite. The Full Editorial Service included in all our private packages means that our team writes your listing after carefully reviewing your property—description, photo selection, and Google optimization. You provide the information, and we take care of the rest.

To get a concrete idea of ​​the result, check out the properties of individuals currently featured on the portal.

Looking to post a property ad without an agency on a specialist portal? Discover the special packages from Propriétés De Charme — Full Service editorial, Google SEO, international distribution, no commission.

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Propriétés De Charme does not charge any commission on the sale price. Only the publication fee is charged, based on the package chosen when the listing is published online. Properties accepted from €600,000. — Read more: selling directly from owner to owner on Propriétés De Charme.